Azalea plant named ‘YBAZ-2147’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Azalea  plant named ‘YBAZ-2147’, characterized by its dark green-colored leaves that do not abscise during the cooling and forcing periods; uniform and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; relatively rapid flowering response; large coral pink-colored flowers; fully double flower form; and excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good flower substance for about five weeks in an interior environment.

Botanical designation: Rhododendron hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘YBAZ-2147’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Azalea,botanically known as Rhododendron hybrida, an evergreengreenhouse-forcing type Azalea, and hereinafter referred to by the name‘YBAZ-2147’.

The new Azalea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is tocreate new Azalea varieties having uniform plant habit, profuse anduniform flowering response, dark green foliage, good foliage retentionduring the cooling and forcing periods, resistance to Cylindrocladiumand excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Azalea is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of theRhododendron hybrida cultivar YBAZ1812, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.16,499. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants ofthe cultivar YBAZ1812 in June, 2002, in Alva, Fla. The selection of thisplant was based on its attractive flower color.

Asexual reproduction of the new Azalea by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Alva, Fla. since November, 2002, has shownthat the unique features of this new Azalea are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Azalea has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength and/or light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits havebeen repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘YBAZ-2147’. These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘YBAZ-2147’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Dark green-colored leaves that do not abscise during the        cooling and forcing periods.    -   2. Uniform and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Relatively rapid flowering response; plants begin flowering        about 29 days after cooling treatment.    -   6. Large coral pink-colored flowers.    -   7. Fully double flower form.    -   8. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining        good flower substance for about five weeks in an interior        environment.

Plants of the new Azalea differ from plants of the parent, the cultivarYBAZ1812, primarily in flower color as plants of the cultivar YABZ1812have light coral pink-colored flowers with darker pink-colored flecksand stripes.

Plants of the new Azalea can be compared to the plants of the cultivarPromise, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,920. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Azalea differedfrom plants of the cultivar Promise in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Azalea had smaller flowers than plants of        the cultivar Promise.    -   2. Plants of the new Azalea and the cultivar Promise differed in        flower color as plants of the cultivar Promise had lighter coral        pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Azalea. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Azalea.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘YBAZ-2147’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflower of ‘YBAZ-2147’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Alva, Fla. with three plants per15-cm containers, in a polypropylene-covered shade house during theautumn and under commercial production conditions. During the productionof the plants, day temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 37° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 0° C. to 26° C. Plants were pinched atplanting, pinched a second time about twelve weeks later, and thenpinched a third time about twelve weeks after the second pinch. Aftersufficient flower bud development, plants were cooled at 3° C. to 5° C.for about four weeks to break flower bud dormancy. Plants weresubsequently forced into flower under commercial production conditionsin a polyethylene-covered greenhouse. Plants used for the photographsand description were about one year old. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Rhododendron hybrida ‘YBAZ-2147’.-   Commercial classification: Evergreen greenhouse-forcing type Azalea.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the    Rhododendron hybrida cultivar YBAZ1812, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.    16,499.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About five weeks at            temperatures of 24° C. Winter: About six weeks at            temperatures of 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About nine            weeks at temperatures of 24° C. Winter: About eleven weeks            at temperatures of 24° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, and white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen; uniform            and outwardly spreading plant habit; broad inverted            triangle; moderately vigorous growth habit. Densely            foliated; full and bushy plants. Uniform and freely            flowering habit with numerous fully double flowers per            plant.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching; about five to six primary            lateral branches develop after the initial pinch (removal of            terminal apex); numerous secondary and tertiary branches            develop after the sequential second and third pinches.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 23 cm.        -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 43 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter at            base: About 6 mm. Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Strength:            Strong. Texture, developing: Pubescent, fine brown hairs.            Texture, mature: Woody; pubescent, fine brown hairs. Color,            developing: Close to 144A. Color, mature: Close to 165A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Foliage            retention: Very good foliage retention on plants of the new            Azalea that have been in a box for six weeks during the            cooling treatment. Length: About 5.1 cm. Width: About            2.2 cm. Shape: Mostly elliptic. Apex: Cuspidate to            mucronate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Sparsely pubescent; leathery, tough. Color: Developing and            fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A;            venation, close to 147A, towards the base, close to 146A.            Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 146A to 146B. Petiole: Length:            About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 146B to 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Natural flowering season.—Spring after sufficient cool            period. If forced, plants typically flower about 29 days            after a four-week cooling treatment; relatively rapid            flowering response. Flowers persistent.        -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Flowers arranged singly            at terminals with usually about three to four flowers per            apex; uniform and freely flowering habit. Flowers face            upward or outward.        -   Flower appearance.—Flowers rotate and rose-like; fully            double flower form with a single outer whorl of petals and            two of four inner whorls of petaloids (transformed stamens).        -   Postproduction longevity.—Excellent postproduction            longevity; under interior conditions, plants maintain good            flower substance for about five weeks.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7.5 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Flower bud (before showing color).—Length: About 1.7 cm.            Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 146A to            146B.        -   Petals/petaloids.—Arrangement: Fully double flower form; one            outer whorl with about five imbricate petals and two to four            inner whorls each with about five imbricate petaloids            (transformed stamens); petals and petaloids fused at the            base. Numerous whorls of petals and petaloids give a full,            rose-like appearance to the flower. Petaloids variable in            size and shape. Length, petals: About 4.4 cm. Width, petals:            About 4 cm. Length, petaloids, center whorl: About 3.8 cm.            Width, petaloids, center whorl: About 3 cm. Length,            petaloids, inner whorl: About 3.1 cm. Width, petaloids,            inner whorl: About 2.5 cm. Shape, petals and petaloids:            Beyond fused base, roughly spatulate with rounded apex.            Margin, petals and petaloids: Entire; smooth. Texture,            petals and petaloids, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety. Color, petals and petaloids: When opening            and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 49A tinted with            close to 50A. Color becoming closer to 49B to 49C with            development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 49A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five in a single whorl, fused;            subtending the petals. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About            3 mm. Shape: Ovate to deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:            Mostly upright. Strength: Flexible; strong. Texture: Very            pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed, typically            all stamens transformed into petaloids. Gynoecium: Quantity            of pistils per flower: Typically one. Pistil length: About            8 mm. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color: Close to 144A.            Stigma shape: Rounded to flattened. Stigma diameter: About            2 mm. Stigma color: Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to            146A; heavily whiskered.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Azalea have been    observed to be very tolerant to rain and wind. Plants of the new    Azalea have been observed to tolerate temperatures from about 0° C.    to about 38° C.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be    resistant to pathogens and pests common to Azaleas.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Azalea plant named ‘YBAZ-2147’ asillustrated and described.